Roman Numerals / Doris Henson / The Bureau

9 p.m. Friday, August 18. Hi-Pointe, (1001 McCausland Avenue)

Like sex, pop music feels the best when it's proferred by those with a little age and experience. Case in point is Kansas City's Roman Numerals, a veteran clique composed of former members of underground '90s post-hardcore legends Shiner, Season to Risk and Dirt Nap. Far  but not too far  from the guitar-heavy, jagged havoc of their youth, the Numerals' sound is a dark-wave-induced blend of dance beats, synths, dirty bass and hooks that stick in your head like Ian Curtis' creepy gaze. Unlike played-out poseurs the Bravery and the plagiarists in She Wants Revenge, the Roman Numerals work harder on the rocking than striving to be sexy  and the results leave audiences sweaty. Fellow KC rockers Doris Henson and locals the Bureau open.